Fun weekend

[UphillDoc 278]

Got to spend a day in the hills with my wife and two daughters. Got out early and spotted a buck. We had just started our stalk when two quads came over the ridge the buck was moving up, and spooked him out of the bowl. Girls dont seemed fazed, they are ready to go find another. We spot several groups of does, but cant find a buck with any of them. Im starting to worry they will get discouraged, but they suggest we move over to the backside of the drainage and have a look. We are coming down a long finger when my youngest "Hanna" spots some deer in the bottom, moving thru the willows, and says there is a buck with them. I dont see any bucks, but she assures me theres one in there! We move down a bit and get set up for them to come out. As they feed out onto the opposite hillside, I still have not seen the buck. 8 does feed out, they have no idea we are there. Finally a little buck steps out, and Hanna says there he is. My oldest "Alexis" says Im on him. I tell her to take him any time she is ready, if she wants him. She says he is small, but its the last day, Im going to take him. She squeezes one off and hits him solid, (heart shot, about 130yds) he rolls back to the willows, and we know he is stone dead. In an instant the squeals, giggles, hugs and high fives start. Hunting with girls is a rare treasure. We head down for some pics, and the girls dive right in getting him gutted. Im clearly just here as the cheerleader...

The next morning I get dressed and ready to load the dogs when I hear a little voice behind me...Dad, can I go? Its "Hanna" and she is dressed. She is the huntingest lil thing, always has been. Of course I load her to, and we are off. First stop is to coffee and snack up, (tradition when kids along) then we hit the desert. We find one pretty quick and "Hoss, Reba and K" do their thing. A pup of the year. It wasnt a long race but was uphill and thru some pretty rough rocks, so Im plenty happy. We check a couple more spots with no luck. I decide to go hit an overgrown field near a dairy, and we are almost all the way thru when a pair jump up in front of us. I see the one heading to the right, but Hanna spots the one headed to the left. As I start towards the one on the right, Hanna says Dad that ones closer get it first. I look out my window and there is one standing broadside at about 60 yards! The dogs see him so I drop "Hoss, Reba and K" they take off towards him and I start for the one on the right. As Im going to it, I look back for the other coyote and see the dogs are on him but he is almost to some real high cover. I decide I better swing back to them instead, in case he shakes them I can drop the other dogs. (better one than none I think) well just as I get headed back to them "Reba" catches and I feel confident they wont let him up. I swing back to the other coyote but he has gapped me bad. I try to close, but its rough and tall so I cant. He is headed right for the dairy, so I let him run and head back to the other dogs. They have a big dog coyote and he has them all bleeding. As I pull up "Hoss" is in the coyotes mouth. He is spinning the coyote around and around on its back trying to drive in. The females have the chest and are spinning to. The coyote lets go and "Hoss" does the wierdest move I ever saw. He jumps up in the air, and comes down shoulder first on the coyotes head, then he grabs the coyote high in the chest and shakes its head back and forth a couple times, then just slides up high in the throat. "Hoss and Reba" have his head pinned now and are really crunching. "K" stays in the chest. Hanna walks up and says, can I stab it? I say sure, and she pulls out her pocket knife and goes Meshac on it... We get them loaded and head home. On the way I spot on in the strip of ground between the Interstate and old Highway. I want to get the other dogs some fur, so of course I bail off the road. This is the same place as in the "What the ..." post. Its crazy rough and the truck is bucking. At one point I decide to pull the rope but am bouncing around the cab so bad I miss the rope...LOL I stay in it and hit the old highway cross ways and barely touch it as I fly across. I hear a loud noise, but the truck is still running so I keep going. The coyote gaps us and makes the railroad dike before we can drop, so I let him go. Hannas eyes are big as saucers and she says Wow, now that was a rodeo! We both laugh and head back to the road. I count my blessings and hope they never end.

The next morning I wait for the kids to go to school and load the dogs. The truck is complaining! I think the loud nosie was a motor mount breaking... Oh well, Im going anyways...LOL I decide to go try some new ground. Not a good idea. Its rough, and overgrown. I dont see anything, but know there are coyotes there! I will hit it again after the cows graze it down and a good snow covering. Im about to give up and head home skunked, when I spot one in the sage. I head for him and find a big wash. I hit it way to hard and straight, and almost turn the truck into a lawn dart. The tow hitches in the front are full of soil and brush. I get up on the coyote and force him to break to the open. "John, K, and T" get him gathered up. Its a small female and they stretch her out quick. "T" on the head, "John and K" in the chest. I get them loaded up and limp the truck home. Its really rattling, when I turn or flex the truck, not as bad when going straight on flat ground, but can still hear the fan hitting metal. Really sounds bad when I put it in reverse. Oh well...Im going again next Sat, unless I get off early before then!

 

Take care.

[birdman6 10]

Thanks uphill great read, good to hear the kids enjoy hunting, hope you get the truck sorted.

[foxlamper80 28]

good read lad keep them comeing

[longdog13 36]

Great post, and a dog called John, . Looking forward to your next post, You're a lucky guy :clapper:

[chris strilciw 1]

great read whish we had stuff decent to hunt like that good stuff hope truck ok

 

atb cs

[bullmastiff 615]

Cracking read, thank you for sharing it.

Sounds like the girls enjoy as much as you? your a lucky fella to be able to get out with your daughters, most wouldn't even consider going let alone doing the coup de grace on a toothed animaleven if the dogs have got it pinned!

I hope the Truck is fixable and you can get out again soon!

 

All the best

 

Luke.